Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker signs a baseball during the Astros game against the visiting Kansas City Royals at Minute Maid Field in Houston on Tue Jul 5, 2022. Dusty just completed a visit to the Oakland Coliseum on Wed Jul 27, 2022 to face the Oakland A’s (AP News photo)

Dusty Back in Oakland

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–That’s My Man! exclaimed Dusty Baker seating on a high director’s chair right behind the backstop at Rickey Henderson’s Field/Oakland Coliseum, as I approached him to greet him a couple of hours prior to the game on Tuesday night. Dusty; do you remember the days when you took batting practice right here?

Yes, I do, he responded as he seems relaxed as ever, we reminisced on those years when he retired as a player with the Oakland A’s in 1986. The A’s had a young rookie by the name of José Canseco in 1986, who would go on that year win the American League Rookie of the Year. Dusty (on his last season as a player) used to give José some hitting tips, talk, and mentor him.

Dusty’s Houston Astros are one of the best teams in baseball this year, they are going against the Yankees for the best record in the American League, but the A’s have played some of their best games of the season recently beating the Astros, with home run power and very good clutch hitting, giving Dusty’s a “dolor the cabeza” (headache), “You guys have been playing very well, we had it tough here man.”

Every time I speak with Dusty I sprinkle some phrases in Spanish, he understands and speaks conversational Spanish. When he was getting started, Dusty Baker played baseball in Venezuela.

Dusty is very proud of his son Darren. This season in Spring Training when the Astros faced the Nationals in Florida, Darren Baker took the lineup card out to his dad as a member of the Nationals. Dusty was totally surprised about the moment, as only Dave Martínez, National’s manager was aware of what was about to happen that March afternoon.

Dusty remembers that great moment, as “very emotional”. Although the most incredible moment involving Darren, that relates to baseball, was during Game 5 of the 2002 World Series Dusty’s SF Giants team lost to the Anaheim Angels.

We all remember when Giants first baseman J.T. Snow grabbed little Darren and saved him (the batboy for the Giants) as he went to the plate to grab the bat as millions watched on television. Many years later, as a freshman at Cal Darren and JT Snow reunited to discuss that famous moment.

Dusty’s team. The Astros have a team full of Latino talent, the great José Altuve from Venezuela, his first baseman Yuliesky Gurriel, Aledmys Díaz a versatile player (sort of the Chad Pinder of Houston), and Yordan Alvarez his DH and sometimes left fielder all from Cuba. Dusty smiles when I tell him “tú eres el hombre” (you are the man) “No, no, I am happy to be here with these guys,” says Dusty, always with his very relaxed laid-back style of managing.

I have never ever heard one player say anything that is not positive about this man. The Astros rotation, headed by Justin Verlander with a 13-3 record and a nifty 1.85 earned run average going for this third Cy Young in a brilliant Hall of Fame career.

After Justin Verlander, Dusty’s rotation is and ‘all Latino’ staff; Framber Valdéz and Cristian Javier from Dominican Republic, Luis García from Venezuela and José Urquidi from México. In the Astros bullpen, also a tandem of Dominicans in hard-throwing Bryan Abreu and veteran Héctor Neris.

Dusty’s main concern is to keep his team playing well and most importantly healthy the rest of the season as they will win the AL West Division. They do not need much trading, they have the team that can go all the way. Astros biggest enemy? injuries.

During my years doing Spanish radio play-by-play for the SF Giants in the 1990’s Dusty’s positive vibes were always around, even during road trips on the charter, he will approach and talk to everybody.

If anybody that was not into baseball and knew nothing about the players and the game would be on that charter, they would think he was just another player and not the manager. Dusty, tienes que estar orgulloso de tú record como manager -translation.

You must be very proud of your record as a manager. “Si, I am proud of these guys” -he gives all the credit to his players, not a manager that likes to talk much about himself, that is simply vintage Dusty. Our chat when on for at least half-and an hour when I speak with Dusty it is almost like speaking with a member of my family.

Dusty Baker is 73 years old, the second oldest manager in baseball this season, only Tony LaRussa 77 years of age is older and has more wins, and is in the Hall of Fame.

Dusty Baker’s career spanned 19 seasons as a major league player and 25 as a manager, with Giants, Cubs, Reds, Nats, and now Astros. I like to wish Dusty nothing but the best, like a World Series title. I speak for a lot of my friends and a lot of other people I know that are rooting for Dusty to win his first World Series.

The Oakland A’s go on the road to play three games against the Chicago White Sox and then to Anaheim to play three with the LA Angels, then return on August 6 for a home stand of two games with the struggling Giants and three against the Angels.

The Angels in my opinion are the biggest disappointment in our division. And nobody can blame Angels owner Arturo (Arte) Moreno of not spending money. Although his team on the field is ‘out of it’ his payroll is in first place!

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio lead announcer for Oakland Athleticos baseball on flagship station Le Grande 1010 KIQI San Francisco and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com